In the past hundred years, the world’s attitude toward whales has changed a lot. The animals are no longer seen as frightening creatures and worldwide protection efforts have reduced whale hunting. Through careful observation, scientists have shown that whales are generally peaceful, playful creatures, and that they have a high level of intelligence.
But even now, some behaviour of whales is still a mystery. A lot of information gathered by whale researchers has raised new puzzles about the animals. Whales’ communication is particularly difficult to understand. Male humpbacks (also known as bulls) give off a sequence (一连串) of low moans（呻吟）, high screams and clicking noises. These noises are sometimes combined in songs that last as long as 30 minutes. And in a particular region, every male will sing the same song, making small changes every once in a while so that it evolves (逐渐形成) into a completely different song over time.
This behavior seems to be related to reproduction. During the mating (交配) season, a male humpback starts the long song sequence, stopping only to join a passing female whale (also known as a cow). Eventually, the bull and the cow may dive deep into the ocean, probably to mate. Male humpbacks’ songs are similar to what birds display to attract mates (配偶), except that the sound carries over many miles, attracting some other male humpbacks in the area. It’s very odd that a male would call his own competition to him, unless he actually wanted to test his strength against others. Some whale researchers believe that the songs are actually acoustic (听觉的) contests of strength.What can we infer from the first paragraph?
| A．We used to have wrong ideas about whales. |
| B．Whales are in danger of dying out today. |
| C．Whales have always been considered as fierce creatures. |
| D．Whales are only protected in some parts of the world. |
We can learn from the second paragraph that .
| A．male whales and female whales both sing songs |
| B．people can’t fully understand whales’ communication |
| C．people only understand the songs of male whales |
| D．the songs of male whales never change |
The last paragraph suggests that male humpbacks sing songs most probably to .
| A．find their own family members |
| B．work together with others to hunt |
| C．compete against other male humpbacks |
| D．frighten away other male humpbacks |
Chicken soup has long been a comfort food for people with cold symptoms. Whether the remedy(疗法) comes from the warmth and comfort of the soup or from actual cold-fighting ingredients(成分) in the meal, it is still up for debate.
Chicken Soup: Just the Evidence
Science has begun to support what mothers have understood for centuries. The heat, salt, and hydration provided by chicken soup may actually fight the cold virus. Laboratory studies have shown that ingredients of chicken soup with vegetables could kill viral cells and prevent the growth of new ones. The soup may also provide an anti-inflammatory(消炎的) effect that helps reduce cold symptoms. Unfortunately, the benefits of chicken soup appear to be limited by how quickly the soup leaves the body. There is no indication that chicken soup would help in the prevention of colds, but its use as a remedy for symptoms is common. It is largely a safe remedy with no ill side effects, and scientific evidence points more in favor of its cold-fighting properties(特性) than against it.
The Downside of Chicken Soup
Evidence in support of chicken soup’s antiviral properties is not yet solid enough to prove true, reliable medicinal effects. Although the evidence based on personal experiences and existing research seem to support a good effect of chicken soup, a clinical trial would be very difficult to perform. In addition, some people with food allergies(过敏性反应) or sensitivities to salt may experience ill side effects from chicken soup. Unbroken bones may also lead to a chocking risk, particularly for children. However, the potential benefits of chicken soup seem to far outweigh the possible risks. What does the underlined sentence suggest?
| A．Mothers have long been helped by scientists to find remedies for colds. |
| B．Scientists have agreed for centuries with what mothers have understood. |
| C．People have tried chicken soup to help reduce cold symptoms since long ago. |
| D．Mothers know better how to deal with cold symptoms than scientists. |
Which of the following is true about chicken soup?
| A．It is particularly good for children. |
| B．It can prevent people from colds. |
| C．It is an amazing comfort food for people with colds. |
| D．It surely has medicinal effects on colds. |
What’s the author’s opinion on chicken soup?
| A．It is good for people with colds to have chicken soup. |
| B．Scientists have found solid evidence about the benefits of chicken soup. |
| C．Chicken soup can take the place of other medicines for colds. |
| D．People still argue whether chicken soup has effects on cold symptoms. |
March is a month of fun-filled activities for the entire family! When you want some family fun activities for March, consider these ideas centered on some of the events and holidays happening in this month.
Dr. Seuss’s Birthday
March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’s birthday and kids and adults of all ages can celebrate with books, games and more to honor this famous author of kids’ books. Take some time in March to read your favorite books with your children or to read some you have never read before.
Spring Break
Spring Break can be the perfect time for families while the children are out of school. There are many places for families during this time period. For example, you might consider a trip to a local theme park or a national park. They often run junior camps and other activities during Spring Break that you can enjoy as a family.
St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th and you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy this holiday. This is a great time to get all the family together to enjoy quality time together. You can also take this time to explore the holiday, its history and what it means. You can also start or continue with your own St. Patrick’s Day traditions that your family can continue year after year.
Seasonal Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts can be a fun family activity all year round. So if you’re looking to spend this fun time together in March, you can look for some seasonal arts and crafts ideas. You can do early preparation for Easter, spring plants and pictures, sun catchers for hanging in the windows or other seasonal related ideas. This is also a great time to consider planting a flower garden or working on outdoor craft projects.Who is the text written for?
| A．Parents. | B．School children. |
| C．Teachers. | D．Officials. |
Which of the following is holiday for family?
| A．Dr. Seuss’s Birthday. | B．Spring Break. |
| C．St. Patrick’s Day. | D．Seasonal Arts and Crafts. |
What can be done on Dr. Seuss’s Birthday?
| A．Having a trip to a park. | B．Finding some books to read. |
| C．Staying with Irish people. | D．Working on favourite crafts. |
What does the text mainly focus on?
| A．Holiday events. | B．Creative ideas. |
| C．Children’s abilities. | D．Family activities. |
It was the last time Susan Butcher ran the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in 1992. An hour into the race, Susan and her sled dog team sped down a hill and crashed into a fallen tree. Although hurt, Susan continued the difficult race.
The Iditarod Race started in 1925 when a doctor in Nome, Alaska was desperately in need of medicine to stop the spread of a deadly disease. Only a hospital had what he needed, but it was 700 mile-away! In January, it was too dangerous to send a boat and too stormy for his tiny airplane. The only hope was to use several sled dog teams following a trail, called the Iditarod Trail. They passed the medicine from one sled team to another. Wind and snow did not stop the men and their dogs. The medicine was delivered in record time. The race follows the route of the famous medicine run. Over 1,000 miles long, it is considered the toughest race in the world.
Susan Butcher was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In her teens Susan was given a Siberian husky dog and became very interested in huskies as sled dogs. After reading about the Iditarod Race, Susan moved to Alaska. She got several jobs to earn money to buy herself a sled and a team of huskies. After years of hard work and training, Susan achieved her dream of racing on the Iditarod Trail.
In 1978, at the age of 24, Susan entered the race for the first time and became the first woman to finish in the top 20. In 1982 she came in second. In 1984 she was leading her team across a frozen waterway when they fell into the water. Her lead dog managed to pull Susan and the other dogs out of danger. Remarkably, she came in second.
In her fourth race, in 1985,a starving moose(驼鹿) attacked her dogs, killing two and injuring eleven. Susan had to leave the race. In 1986 Susan joined the race again. This time, she won. She won again in 1987. In 1988 she became the first person ever to win three Iditarod races in a row. Unbelievably, Susan won for the fourth time in 1990.According to text, Susan Butcher entered the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race at least times.
| A．six | B．seven | C．eight | D．nine |
In Paragraph 2, the author wants to tell us .
| A．how the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race began |
| B．how the spread of a deadly disease was stopped |
| C．how tough the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was |
| D．how Susan Butcher began to show interest in the race |
In the year , Susan Butcher won three races in a row.
| A．1984, 1985 and 1986 | B．1985, 1987 and 1988 |
| C． 1986, 1987 and 1988 | D．1987, 1988 and 1990 |
What led to some of Susan Butcher’s failures?
| A．Snowstorm. | B．Lack of food. |
| C．Accidents. | D．Lack of experience. |
In all the world’s cultures, people sing, play instruments, and celebrate with music. It plays such an important role in our lives that all fields focus on its study, including one looking at the biology of music. Experts find that because of the way our brains process music, learning to play an instrument or just listening to music can have a wide range of benefits.
Music education has received a lot of attention. Learning to play an instrument can help children improve math, science, and language skills. One study in Canada tracked children’s IQ scores for nine months, discovering that children who studied music had the biggest test score improvements. The secret may lie in the way reading music and playing notes use several areas of the brain, increasing our ability to learn school subjects. For example, reading notes improves spatial(空间的) reasoning skills, which are helpful in solving math problems like fractions(分数).
Music is also used for medical purposes, such as the treatment of diseases which affect memories. The secret lies in the way the brain processes music. One area near the forehead, the medical prefrontal cortex, connects music with memories stored in two other areas: the amygdale and hippocampus. That’s why an old song can remind you of something that happened years ago. For patients suffering from diseases like Alzheimer’s, listening to music can help unlock buried memories by strengthening musical pathways to memories.
With the evidence of music’s benefits, it’s no wonder some countries make music study a part of their education system. People are recognizing that more than just a form of entertainment, music is also great for the brain.Scientists are studying music because .
| A．music can be used for medical treatment. |
| B．music plays a very important role in our lives |
| C．our brain can process music in different ways |
| D．music education has received a lot of attention |
According to the Canadian study, which children increased IQscores?
| A．Those who already had high IQ scores. |
| B．Those who always played music. |
| C．Those who could not play any instrument. |
| D．Those who studied music for a period of time. |
Which of the following is a kind of disease?
| A．Spatial reasoning. |
| B．Alzheimer’s. |
| C．The amygdale and hippocampus. |
| D．The medial prefrontal cortex. |
Which can be the best title for the text?
| A．Music and health | B．Music and the mind |
| C．Music and the education | D．Music and instruments |
Are GM（转基因的) foods safe for people? Can they help solve the poverty problem? They have been the subjects of a hot debate.
This debate is related to increasing challenges from rising climatic change, population growth, urbanization（城镇化), and natural resource consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, food production needs to increase by 60 percent by 2050 in order to feed 9 billion people. Scientists and policymakers are searching for effective ways to gain nutritious food, for today and future. Unlike previous agricultural methods (such as the Green Revolution), GM crops are to fight food safety and poverty challenges.
The great expansion of GM crop varieties over the last two decades can be seen easily. The total area devoted to GM crops has increased 100 times from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 170 million hectares in 2012. Developing countries now grow more GM crops than developed countries (in terms of area), largely driven by Brazil’s rapid adoption of GM crops. China is home to about 4 percent of the total global area devoted to GM crops. Beans, corn, and cotton are main global GM crops, while China’s focus is on cotton, papaya, and poplar.
Recently, a scientific study shows that GM crops are safe for people and the environment. According to a 2010 report on the safety of GM crops by the EU, “the main conclusion to be drawn from the efforts of more than 130 research projects, covering a period of more than 25 years of research, and involving more than 500 research groups, is that biology methods, are not more risky than traditional planting technologies, for example.” Other international and national scientific bodies, such as the World Health Organization, have reached the same conclusion. Nowadays, people are developing GM foods mainly to fight against______.
| A．urbanization |
| B．population growth |
| C．rising climatic change |
| D．natural resource consumption |
As for GM crops, what do people mainly focus on ?
| A．Food production. | B．Food nutrition. |
| C．Food safety. | D．Food variety. |
What does Paragraph 3 talk about?
| A．More GM crops in developing countries. |
| B．Less GM crops in developed countries. |
| C．Rapid adoption of GM crops in Brazil. |
| D．The expansion of GM crop varieties of the world. |
From a recent scientific study, we can infer that______.
| A．traditional planting technologies are more risky |
| B．the safety of GM crops has been proved in many ways |
| C．the safety of GM crops was reported by the EU in 2010 |
| D．present GM crops are safe for people and the environment |
What’s the writer’s attitude towards GM crops?
| A．Supportive. | B．Opposed. |
| C．Unknown. | D．Indifferent. |
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